Although various streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix have expanded their offering to the Aussie population – Hulu is still holding out. In fact, they are limiting their content to such an extent that it isn’t available anywhere in the world, except for America.
This is rather annoying for most streaming afficionados, but especially for those who find themselves to be hooked on a television show. It’s a frustrating feeling, scrolling through Netflix weekend after weekend, trying to force the last few seasons of a show like Brooklyn Nine-Nine into existence in the Netflix repertoire, but always being met with disappointment.
Furthermore, it’s very disheartening to have to wait until a show has finished its run before being able to stream it, because it ruins the suspense.
In today’s online world, the internet will throw spoilers at you before your Facebook friends even have a chance to. And that is why Hulu is so tempting – by constantly updating their library, the most recent episodes of your favorite TV shows are usually available the day after they air.
Why is Hulu not available in Australia?
Hulu is an American service that is not licensed in other parts of the world. This means that geo-restrictions apply to those users who find themselves based elsewhere – like, for example, in the land Down Under.
Why watch Hulu in Australia?
It just seems rude that Hulu is blocking Aussies from accessing their content, when they have an abundance of Australian movies and television shows available including Please Like Me, Little Monsters, Hotel Mumbai and The Nightingale.
And just so you know, as of October 2018, only 41% of all Hulu’s original shows are ever available on other streaming services in Australia.
How to get Hulu Plus in Australia in 4 Simple Steps
To the head honchos at Hulu, it really doesn’t matter that you’re hell-bent on seeing the latest episode of your favorite TV show. They have gone out of their way to make it difficult for any non-US viewer to catch their content.
That is, unless you use a VPN and a few clever workarounds I’ve found to be helpful.
Step 1: Install a VPN service – we highly recommend ExpressVPN
The first hurdle to cross is circumventing the geo-block. This involves passing the location verification of the Hulu website itself. In order to do this, you will need to use a VPN and we highly recommend ExpressVPN.
The reason for this is because their foolproof ability to spoof your location will not only give you access to Hulu but an entire host of other geo-blocked content as well.
Step 2: Connect to a VPN server based in the US
Once you’ve signed up to ExpressVPN, it is vital to update the DNS values of the device that you will be using to watch Hulu’s offerings, be it your router, computer or TV. After making a note of the original settings, ensure that you alter the DNS values to match those provided by ExpressVPN.
Now, log onto the Unblock-US website and look for a green tick that verifies your settings as successfully updated.
Step 3: Sign up for Hulu – some trickery involved
On the signup page, enter all your details correctly as usual. The next page is where you have to trick Hulu into not only believing that you’re sitting pretty in the US, but that you’re also in possession of a US credit card.
On this page, they will ask for a zip or postal code. Now there is some trickery involved on your part. If you have an American Express card, these work best. Enter your Australian credit card details as normal, but where it requests the postal code or zip code, make yours American by adding a “0” to the end or a “1” to the front of your ordinary Aussie code.
Ensure that your spoofed postal code corresponds to an actual US postal code, and if it doesn’t or it doesn’t work try “90210” as a last resort.
Step 4: Install the Hulu Plus app
For Hulu Plus to work on devices like video game consoles, you will need to make sure that your console is also rigged for Unblock-US. Or simply update the DNS values on your primary WiFi router to make your life easier.
If you want Hulu Plus to work on your iPad, iPhone or Apple TV, you will need to download the app after creating a US-based iTunes account using ExpressVPN.
Best VPN for Hulu in Australia
The first step to watching Hulu in Australia, is getting a VPN. There is a multitude of VPN providers available out there, but the really good ones are few and far between.
The reason why we always recommend ExpressVPN is because they stand head and shoulders above the rest with regards to spoofing your location. While many VPN companies often have their streaming servers blocked by Hulu, ExpressVPN is consistent in their ability to offer you an IP address that works to bypass Hulu’s geo-restrictions.
This means that not only will you be able to access Hulu – you’ll be able to access any geo-blocked streaming content from other services like Netflix as well.
On top of all this, ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee coinciding with the Hulu one, so what have you got to lose?
What sets ExpressVPN apart from the rest
Worldwide Coverage
ExpressVPN has 3000+ serves in 94 countries which is why they are the top choice for accessing geo-blocked content.
Lightning-Fast Connection
Especially for those of us who are partial to binge-streaming movies and series, users with the fastest connection speeds will have a better experience.
Bang for your Buck
ExpressVPN comes in at a slightly higher price than other providers, but they give you bang for your buck through their optimal offerings of accessing geo-blocked content and global coverage.
They also offer incredible 24/7 customer support that will assist you with any unblocking-related problem you might have.
What is Hulu Plus and what content does it offer?
Hulu Plus used to be the premium offering of Hulu, which in itself used to be free but fraught with ads. Hulu Plus basically offered a larger library of viewing content and fewer ads. Today, there is no free version, only Hulu Plus, Hulu and Disney Plus, and Hulu and Live TV.
Hulu Plus costs $7.99 per month and includes a vast array of Hulu Original Programming and other TV shows and movies. Hulu and Disney Plus offers a combination extension of Disney+ and ESPN+ at a flat rate of $12.99 per month.
The most recent offering by Hulu is the Hulu and Live TV package which comprises live television as well as the whole of the Hulu streaming library. It comes in at an astronomical $55 per month offering more than 50 available TV channels and capability for two screens and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage.
Which devices support Hulu?
There are a great number of devices that support Hulu streaming from Smart TVs and smartphones to Blu-ray Players and video game consoles.
For mobiles, the Hulu iOS app is compatible with Apple devices running iOS8.0 or later. Android users need to be running Android 4.0 or higher and it is even compatible with the Windows Phone 8.
For computers, you need to be running either Windows 7 or higher, or OS X 10.6 or higher, or any recent version of Linux. You will also need a compatible web browser as well as Adobe Flash Player 11.1 or above and HTML5.
And that’s a wrap
Hulu is a fantastic streaming service for entertainment afficionados that have a hankering for top-quality content especially where it concerns television shows, whether recent or ancient. It also has the added benefit of Live TV, which opens up an entirely different world of content, including live sport.
In order to access all this great content from right here in Australia, we recommend ExpressVPN because it offers excellent capabilities as a geo-unblocker and it is coupled with stellar support and a range of other features for internet junkies like ourselves.
